Seed-cleaner for grain-separators.



No. 718,741. PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903'.

.L. THORTVEDT.

SEED CLEANER FOR GRAIN SEPARATORS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1902. N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTOI? No. 718,741. PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903.

L. THORTVEDT.

SEED CLEANER FOR GRAIN SEPARATORS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 8, 1902.

NO MODEL 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/ TNE SSE S Q m VENTOH A ys UNTED TATES PATENT DFFICE.

LEVI THORTVEDT, OF GLYNDON, MINNESOTA.

SEED-CLEANER FOR GRAIN-SEPARATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,741, dated January20, 1903.

Application filed January 8, 1902- Serial No. 88,848. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEV-I THORTVEDT, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Glyndon, in the county of Clay and State of Minnesota,haveinvented a new and Improved Seed-Cleaner for Grain-Separators, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact de-' scription.

My invention is an improvement in seedcleaners; and the primary objectis the provision of an improved cleaner applicable to the spout or chuteof any threshing-machine or grain-separator for the purpose of cleaningthe grain from seed and other foreign matter as the load is dischargedfrom the machine, whereby the refuse may be bagged or collected invessels instead of accumulating beneath the separator. It may be used onthe farm as feed for stock, and the farmer is saved the expense andlabor of transporting with the wheat a lot of refuse, which mustsubsequently be separated at a loss to the farmer.

A further object is the provision of a cleaner which may be adjusted toclean different kinds of seeds from the grain and, furthermore,toprovide means for leveling the cleaner in the spout or chute, so as tosecure maximum efficiency in operation.

With these ends in view the'invention consists in the combination,construction, and arrangement of parts, which Will be hereinafter fullydescribed and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a threshing-machine and thedelivery spout or chute thereof, the latter being equipped with aseed-cleaner of my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of aportion of the spout or chute partly broken away and illustrating theimproved cleaner partly in section and partly in side elevation. Fig. 3is an end view of a part of the spout or chute and the cleaner adaptedthereto, and Fig. 4

is a transverse section in the plane indicated 'of the cylinder. tendthe full length of the cylinder, and to by the dotted line 4 40f Fig. 2looking in the direction of the arrows.

A designates a portion of a grain-separator or threshing-machine.

B is the elevator, and O the delivery spout or chute, which may beadapted to deliver the load into a suitable receptacle D. The spout orchute may extend in any direction from the threshing-machine; but asshown by Fig. 1 it is carried laterally to one side of the machine and.is stayed in position by the employment of an extensible brace E.

The cleaner of my invention preferably contemplates the employment of aseries of screens which have perforations or meshes of difierent sizes,and these screens are united together in a manner to produce a cylinderwhich is adapted to extend longitudinally through the delivery spout orchute C. This cylinder is built up of a series of screens, (indicated bythe numerals 5, 6, 7, and 8,) which are arranged at right angles to eachother and are adapted by adjustment of the cylinder to be brought intoposition successively or in any other desired order for the purpose ofcleaning the grain automatically as it passes through the spout or chuteand through said cleaning-cylinder.

To secure stability in the construction of the cylinder, I employ askeleton framework, which consists of a series of slats or bars whichare preferably triangular in cross-section and are disposed at theangles or corners These slats or bars 9 exthe outer faces thereof aresecured the edges of the series of screens. The corners of the cylinderare bound and reinforced by the employment of corner-stays 10,preferably of metal and arranged to embrace the contiguous edges of thescreens. These corner-stays are angular in cross-section, and theyextend the full length of the cylinder, said stays being secured to theangle-bars 9 and serving to prevent the free edges of the screens fromprojecting beyond the cylinder. The cylinder is of such size incross-section as to fit snugly within the cylindrical chute, and thecorner-stays of the cylinder engage with the inner cylindrical surfaceof the chute, or the lowermost stays only may engage with the chute.

An elbow 11 is provided at the upper end of the spout or chute, andwithin this elbow is secured a feed-tube 12, which is preferablycircular in cross-section and tapered toward its lower end, the latterbeing arranged to extend into the upper part of the cleaner-cylinder forthe purpose of discharging the grain directly into said cylinder. Thisfeed-tube is equipped with or terminates at its upper end in a hopper13, that is disposed directly below the delivery end of the elevator 13,whereby the grain discharged from the threshing-maehine through theelevator will be conducted by the hopper and the feed-tube directly intothe cleaner-cylinder.

The length of the cleaner-cylinder is such that it will extend from thefeed-tube 12 to and through the lower end of the delivery spout orchute, such lower end of the cleanercylinder extending a foot or twobelow said chute, substantially as shown by Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive.This projecting lower end of the cleaner-cylinder is equipped with anannular band or ring 14, the same having a series of slots 15, one ofsaid slots being provided opposite each of the screens composing thecylinder. A supporting-arm 16 is secured firmly to the lower end of thespout or chute, so as to project therefrom and to lie over the annularband, and this arm is attached to the band by a bolt 17, which passesthrough the arm and through the uppermost slot 15 in the band. Theconnected arm and band support or brace the lower projected end of thecleanercylinder, and the presence of the slots 15 in the band allows thecylinder to be turned on its axis within the spout or chute, whereby thecylinder may be leveled to secure the best results.

Itis evident that the cylinder may be turned on its axis so as to bringeither of the series of four screens in a lowermost position, and thiscylinder in either position of the screens may be braced and adjusted bythe bolt which engages with the slotted band and with thesupporting-arm. By employing the screens of different sizes theapparatus may be adapted to clean different kinds of seeds from thewheat. One of the screens is provided with slots or meshes which allowthe grass and mustard-seed to pass through, while the wheat passes overthe screen/the seed thus separated from the wheat being collected in abag or other receptacle, (indicated by the numeral 18 in Fig. 1.) Thesecond screen of the cylinder is provided with larger openings andmeshes for separating buckwheat, grass-seed, and mustard-seed from thewheat. A third screen, also adjusted to operative position, separatesfoul seeds from barley and oats, and a fourth screen is intended toallow the wheat to drop through the meshes while the wild-oat seeds passover the screen.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination of an inclined delivery spout ortube of a threshing-machine, a seedcleaner arranged longitudinallytherein and having a number of screens provided with perforations ofdifferent sizes, said seedcleaner being adjustable on its axis to bringeither of its screens into operative position, and means for deliveringseed into the upper part of the cleaner and upon one of the screensthereof.

2. The combinationof an inclined delivery spout or tube of athreshing-machine, a seedcleaner arranged longitudinally therein andhaving a number of screens provided with perforations of differentsizes, and means for supporting the seed-cleaner and permitting axialadjustment thereof within the spout or chute to bring either of thescreens thereof in active position.

3. The combination of an inclined delivery tube or spout of athreshing-machine, a seedcleaner having a series of screens andadjustable axially within the tube, and a feed-tube extending into theupper part of the seedcleaner.

4. The combination of an inclined delivery tube or spout of athreshing-machine, a feedtube supported in the upper part of the spout,and a seed-cleaner havinga series of screens and fitted at its upper endto said feed-tube which is arranged to deliver seed. thereto, saidseed-cleaner being adjustable axially within the tube or spout.

5. The combination with a spout or chute of a threshing-machine, of anon-revoluble cylinder having screens with perforations of differentsizes and arranged longitudinally in said spout or chute, the lower endof the cleaning cylinder extending beyond said spout, and means foradjustably supporting said cleaning-cylinder within the spout.

6. The combination with a spout or chute of a threshing-machine, of acleaning-screen extending longitudinally within said spout, and meansfor leveling and supporting the lower end of said cleaning-screen,whereby the latter may be adjusted Within the chute.

7. The combination with a spout or chute of a threshing-machine, of acleaning-cylinder having screens with perforations of different sizesand arranged within said spout, and an arm connecting saidcleaning-cylinder with the spout, whereby the cylinder may be adjusted.

8. The combination with a spout or chute of a threshing-machine, of acleaning-cylinder having screens with perforations of different sizesand arranged longitudinally within the spout, a slotted band attached tosaid the spout, said feed-tube being arranged to cylinder, and an armsupported by the spout deliver its contents directly into thecleaningand detachably connected to said band. cylinder.

9. The combination withaspoutofathresh- In testimony whereof I havesigned my 5 ing-machine, ofanon-revolublecleaning-cylname to thisspecification in the presence of 15 inder extending longitudinallythrough said two subscribing Witnesses. spout and having screens withopenings of LEVI THORTVEDT. different sizes, means for adjusting thecyl- Witnesses: inder axially within the spout, and a feed I G. 0. LEE,IO tube having a hopper which is exposed above N. I. JOHNSON.

